U.S. News & World Report Names Menninger a Top 10 Hospital for Psychiatry for 23rd Consecutive Year

The Menninger Clinic ranks as the nation’s number five hospital for difficult psychiatric cases, according to the annual America’s Best Hospitals issue published today by U.S. News & World Report. The only private and nonprofit hospital specializing solely in psychiatry in the top five, Menninger has been named for 23 consecutive years among the nation’s top 10 psychiatric hospitals.

“Psychiatrists surveyed are asked to name the best hospitals for complicated psychiatric conditions and that is truly the forte of our dedicated treatment teams,” said Ian Aitken, Menninger president and chief executive officer. “Eight of every 10 Menninger patients from Texas and across the country have more than one diagnosis. Seven of every 10 Menninger patients suffer from a severe mood disorder, and nearly half of all patients have a history of attempted suicide or are at a high risk for suicide.”

“To be one of the best psychiatric hospitals, we must continue to lead the way toward better treatments and ways of preventing the growing burden of mental illness on our communities,” Aitken said. “In addition to Baylor College of Medicine, we are working closely with the Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, which gave the initial funding for the brain imaging portion of the study. Continuing to expand MIND-MB and other vital research is what our nation needs to solve its mental health issues.”

MIND-MB is a comprehensive study designed to improve the identification of physiological and genetic risk factors in mental illness in patients experiencing multiple psychiatric conditions. The research is conducted by collecting brain structure, functioning and connectivity data as well as genetic and clinical information from approximately 2,500 psychiatric patients who each suffer from multiple mental illnesses.

“This data collection will eventually help us prevent mental illness in those who have pre-identified risk factors,” said John M. Oldham, MD, MS, chief of staff at Menninger and executive vice chair for clinical affairs and development at Baylor College of Medicine’s Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences. “The study differs from other research initiatives by focusing on psychiatric patients with co-existing mental illnesses. Nationally 78 percent of psychiatric patients have multiple psychiatric illnesses. Meanwhile many research endeavors just study individuals with a single diagnosis.”

Dr. Oldham added that he believes progressive research initiatives like MIND-MB will help remove the stigma of mental illness by continuing to improve treatment.

The U.S. News & World Report rankings serve as a resource throughout the year for individuals seeking quality psychiatric hospital services, as well as for health and mental health professionals. Psychiatric hospital rankings include the annual reputational survey results of board-certified psychiatrists from the past three years.

Menninger specializes in treating adults and adolescents with mental illnesses such as borderline personality disorder, major depression, bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders that may be accompanied by addiction, anorexia or bulimia, self-injury patterns and stress-related conditions. In addition to its hospital-based assessment and treatment programs, Menninger services include:

Pathfinder, a community integration program with mentored apartment living

Outpatient therapy services at Menninger and at three project medical homes operated by Texas Children’s Pediatric Associates, two federally qualified healthcare centers and at Windsor Village United Methodist Church

Founded in 1925, Menninger is a primary teaching hospital for Baylor College of Medicine. The Clinic is also affiliated with The Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center.